The Ruttger’s
Unforgettable Opera Weekend
Featuring 2023 GRAMMY® Winners
Now in its sixteenth season, the Lakes Area Music Festival has become a hub for the nation’s top operatic talent. The Unforgettable Opera Lover’s Weekend is your unique opportunity to enjoy thrilling, world-class performances in the heart of Minnesota’s lake country.
The multi-faceted event will feature education, inspiration, and unparalleled talent, culminating in a new production of Stravinsky’s rarely performed masterpiece, The Rake’s Progress, a devilish tale of squandered youth.
A choice of beautiful lodging options.
Exclusive opera specials: tickets, preferred seating, and access to special events.
Of course, all events are optional depending on your preference.
or call 218-678-2885 to book
Schedule of Events
Four interactive online lectures on the history and importance of The Rake’s Progress, led by musicologists, members of the Lakes Area Music Festival creative team, and other luminaries in the field of opera.
Meet your cohort of opera lovers and the music team of the Lakes Area Music Festival over wine and light appetizers! You’ll also get a backstage tour of the brand new Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts in Brainerd – home for The Rake’s Progress.
GRAMMY® award-winning classical vocalist, Julia Bullock, is one of the most celebrated recitalists of her generation. Join her and pianist, Bretton Brown, for an intimate, exciting evening of song.
Savor the evening with a chance to meet Julia and learn about her life in music.
Get an inside look at The Rake’s Progress with presentations by stage director, Omer Ben Seadia, and Paul Hopper (Senior Director of Artistic Planning, Los Angeles Opera), featuring performances by the Lakes Area Music Festival Resident Artists.
7:30 p.m. | Opening Night: The Rake’s Progress
Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts.
3 p.m. | Closing Matinee: The Rake’s Progress
Including an exclusive invitation to the cast party following the performance!
Cast List
Omer Ben Seadia ............. Stage Director
John Taylor Ward ............... Nick Shadow
Miles Mykkanen .............. Tom Rakewell
Kearstin Piper Brown ... Anne Truelove
Sara Couden ..................... Baba the Turk
Martin Bakari ................................. Sellem
About The Rake's Progress
The Rake's Progress is an English-language opera composed by Igor Stravinsky with a libretto by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman. Premiering in 1951, this classic tale was loosely inspired by a series of paintings by William Hogarth, depicting the downfall of young Tom Rakewell, who inherits a fortune and soon squanders it in pursuit of pleasure and luxury. The story follows Tom's moral and financial decline, his descent into madness, and eventual confinement in Bedlam. The opera serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of vice, temptation, and the pursuit of material wealth at the expense of one's moral integrity.
